


Don't Be A Stranger

by Send_Reinforcements



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-06
Updated: 2014-01-06
Packaged: 2018-01-07 16:41:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1122145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Send_Reinforcements/pseuds/Send_Reinforcements
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brandon's glad the summer's over.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Be A Stranger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wayfaringwaif](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayfaringwaif/gifts).



> Thank you to duckgirlie for the read through! <3

Even though he loves summer, Brandon gets bored by August. It’s a relief when the season starts.

Last year had been weird. Getting traded, showing up for a few practices in September, and then waiting for ages for the season to start made things feel less than stable. He remembers a lot of frustration with the league, and apprehension and excitement about playing in Pittsburgh. When the season finally started, it had been nice to fit in so well with the Pens, especially with the guys off the ice.

It had been pretty easy to slot in with them on road trips and at dinners. Even during the first few weeks of the shortened season he'd been invited to tag along, even if it was just so he could get to know the guys. They're funny in the dressing room, and genuinely kind, for the most part. It definitely feels like a family, even after just a few months of playing with them.

One thing Brandon could do without is the incredibly inconvenient crush on team's starting goaltender. And if he's being honest, which he rarely is, it's a little more than a crush.

He doesn’t let himself think about it, though. The idea of it edges in, every so often, when he sees Flower smile on the ice, or joke around in the dressing room. He doesn’t let himself think about it then. Sometimes it sneaks in when Brandon’s home alone, putting dishes in the dishwasher or getting dressed. He stops himself, always. It’s a quick flash of _want_ , then sadness, but he shuts it down. He tries to remember how happy he is to have a good teammate like Flower, and how happy he is to have a great life playing in Pittsburgh. Because he is happy. He’s just happier when he doesn’t think about the other thing.

So during the season Brandon had stuck to head-taps after wins, hanging out in hotel rooms, and the quiet comfort of Flower beside him some nights at dinner. The season had gone by pretty quickly, and ended heartbreakingly. For the first few weeks of the summer, he didn’t think about hockey either. He soaked in the sun and tried to relax.

He even hooked up with a couple guys he met at bars. The one-night stands were nice, and exactly what the summer is for, he thinks.

Occasionally he got texts from Flower outside the team’s group text chat. Mostly they were just semi-funny jokes (possibly translated from French) or pictures of landscapes, but Brandon always smiled at them and responded with his own impersonal comments. It was nice, though, to know Flower was thinking about him.

The summer went by pretty fast, and before long he was getting itchy to get back to Pittsburgh. He wasn't really thinking about what it would be like to see Flower again at training camp.

The attraction hits him in the gut like a hard hit initially, and when the initial shock of that wears off, he's left cold and empty. He pushes it away. The feeling is replaced with frustration at the growing media controversy surrounding Flower. He only reads a couple of articles that talk about Flower like he's broken before he stops reading anything. It just makes him angry, so he tries not to think about that, either. He focuses on doing his own job, and playing well. 

Luckily, things go well for the team. They start picking up points, and it feels like a great start to the season. They hit a few rough patches, but on the whole their work is paying off. 

A few days after a rough game against Colorado, the guys meet up for dinner. The conversation, as usual, stays light and devolves into chirping and any number of tangents about family or football. 

"Hey Suttsy, pass the fries!" Bort says from Brandon's right, and Brandon reaches over the table to grab them. His shoulder brushes Flower's, and after he's handed the fries over, Brandon glances back over at him. Flower catches him looking, and smiles brightly, and Brandon smiles back before looking down at his plate. 

“Hey,” Flower says and shoves him, “You’re too quiet.” 

Brandon laughs. “No I’m not! I’ve been talking this whole time.” 

“Yeah, but not to me.” Flower says, and Brandon feels his neck heat up. 

“What, you want me to talk about football to you?” Brandon asks. He laughs when Flower makes a face. 

“No, tell me about that show you were watching.” Flower says, and Brandon smiles and launches into a description of whatever reality show he’d been watching on the plane during their last road trip.

It’s nice and warm in the restaurant, and Brandon sits back into his chair. It’s nice. Brandon’s always had a knack for fitting in and feeling comfortable, but something about Pittsburgh feels special. 

Before long they’re on the road again, with a stop in Toronto for yet another loss they’d all rather forget, and then on to Carolina. 

Brandon likes playing against his old team. It reminds him that all the guys they play against, the opposition, are pretty much just the same as they are. They all want the same thing, and they all work hard. It makes hockey feel a little less like a job and more like home.

Of course Flower plays well, and after they win Brandon wraps his arm around Flower’s head in a half-hug taps his helmet against Flower’s, still breathing heavy from his last shift.

“Good game.” He says. Flower smiles brightly, and they skate towards the tunnel together. 

Later, when they get back to the hotel, Brandon kicks off his shoes and takes off his tie. He thinks about the game and smiles, and shakes some of the tension from the day out of his shoulders. He changes out of his suit and turns on the TV. He’s about to lie down when he hears a knock on the door.

When he opens it, Flower is standing there. He’s wearing sweats and a t-shirt and smiling. Brandon’s breath catches. 

“Hey, what’s up?” He manages to get out, and Flower smiles.

“I’m bored. You wanna watch something?” He says. It’s not the first time Flower had shown up at his door, wanting to hang out. It’s not something Brandon tries to read into. Flower’s fun to spend time with. 

“What, you don’t have anyone to prank?” Brandon says, opening the door and letting Flower follow him into the room.

“Nah, I’m giving them a break. So they don’t get, uh, suspicious.” 

Brandon laughs, and settles down on the bed. He picks up the remote and starts scanning the channel guide, but he can’t help glancing over at Flower, who sits down next to him on the bed. He looks good. Brandon keeps scrolling through the channels, and stops when Flower says, “Hey, stop here.”

“House Hunters, really?” Brandon asks, raising an eyebrow, and Flower shoves his shoulder. 

“Yeah, it’s good.” Flower says, and grabs the remote out of Brandon’s hand to select the channel. 

Flower settles down next to Brandon against the headboard so their shoulders are touching, and Brandon lets himself relax. He focuses on the show, not the sound of Flower breathing next to him, because this feels too close to what he doesn’t let himself think about.

About half an hour into the second episode, Brandon feels his eyes getting heavier. It doesn’t take much to send him to sleep, and house selection isn’t really what he’d call interesting. He gets up at a commercial break to go to the bathroom and brush his teeth, and when he gets back he shoves Flower over so he can get under the covers.

“You want me to go?” Flower asks, and Brandon feels something in his chest tighten. 

“I don’t care, stay if you want, I’m about to pass out, though.” Brandon says as he lies down, hoping his voice isn’t giving away too much.

Flower laughs quietly and says, “Okay sleepyhead, let me just finish this show.” 

Brandon tries to mumble a response, but as soon as his head hits the pillow he’s drifting off. As he falls asleep, he feels Flower touch him lightly, fingers smoothing absently over his shoulder.

The next morning, Brandon wakes up to an empty room. He sighs and rubs his hands over his face before he gets out of bed. He can’t help remembering the way it felt to fall asleep next to Flower last night. He lets himself close his eyes and think about what it would be like to wake up with him, just for a moment, before breathing deeply and pushing it away. 

Then it’s November, and they keep playing, and picking up losses along with wins. Every so often, after good games, Flower comes to his room, or over to his house, and they chill and watch TV. He always leaves, though. Every time he does, Brandon gets a little more restless, and a little less willing to smile and say goodbye at the door.

They hit their stride in November, despite so many guys being out of the lineup, and Brandon starts finding the back of the net a couple games in a row. In New York, he gets a goal and then wins it in the shootout. It feels good to win the game for his team and he’s still feeling buzzed from the goals later at the hotel.

It’s a good game, for him and the team, so it shouldn’t surprise him when Flower knocks on his door. The way Flower’s hair is curling and falling into his eyes catches Brandon off-guard, and he’s not sure what he’s supposed to say. Flower, still in his suit and coat, walks into the room without saying anything and crowds into Brandon’s space. 

“Good game.” Flower says. Brandon remembers to breathe and steps out of the way, back against the wall of the narrow hallway. 

He remembers the feeling of holding Flower close on the ice and itches to reach out for him. He thinks he’s smart enough not to do it until Flower brushes past him, and Brandon catches the sleeve of his coat, tugging on it to make him stop, reeling him in.

Flower smiles and looks confused, and if Brandon’s not reading it wrong, anticipatory. Brandon huffs out a laugh and swallows.

“You too. Good job in the shootout.” He says. It’s the safe thing to say, and he lets go of Flower’s sleeve.

Flower doesn’t move out of the way, though, and steps closer into Brandon’s space.

Brandon’s breathing shallows, and he can’t help glancing from Flower to the wall behind him, back to Flower. 

The brief moment of tension is broken when they both start talking. Brandon starts to say, “What do you-” at the same time Flower says, “I-.” 

They both stop and Flower giggles, leaning closer to Brandon. He looks up at Brandon and Brandon can’t breathe, just stares at Flower.

“Uh, I’ll just-” Flower says, and leans up and Brandon only has a split second to realize what’s happening before Flower kisses him, light and soft, and rests his hand on Brandon’s waist. Brandon reacts quickly and kisses back, tentatively at first, and grabs the front of Flower’s coat. He pulls Flower in close and keeps kissing him, grazing his lips with his teeth. Flower lets out a soft sigh and Brandon can feel his own heart beating fast. 

They’re both silent when they break apart. Brandon smiles and says, “So.” Flower laughs and Brandon reels him in to kiss him again. 

Flower presses him against the wall and Brandon groans into his mouth, bringing his hand up to tangle in Flower’s hair.

Flower mouths down Brandon’s neck, and mutters into his skin, “I’ve been wanting to do this since forever, you fucker.” Brandon’s choked out laugh turns into a gasp when Flower bites down at his collarbone. 

“Yeah, same.” Brandon says. He pulls Flower up to kiss him again, then pulls away to say, “Don’t leave tonight, okay?”

Flower nods and smiles, and something in Brandon’s chest unwinds. He lets out a shaky breath. 

“I’ll stay.” Flower says, and Brandon leans in to kiss him again, and then nudges him towards the bed.


End file.
